Breast-chain for harness



v (N'omdeu J. 0. COVERT.

BREAST CHAIN FOR HARNESS.

No. 274,723. Patented Mar. 2741883.

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Uivrrn'n STATES P TENT OFFICE;

JAMES C. COVERT, OF WEST TROY, NEW' YORK.

BREAST-CHAIN 'FOR HARNESSJ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,723, dated March 2'7, 1883.

Application filed May 13, 1882. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that L'JAMES 0. Giovanni, of West Troy, in the county of Albany, and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Breast- Straps; and I do hereby declare that the following is..a

, full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in harness breast-chains, and it has for its objects to provide certain improved means of attaching the chain to the hames, wherebyit can be shortened or increased in length,

as may be required; and, also, to provide oer-- tain improved means whereby the'chain may be secured to the neck-yoke in such manner as to avoidall wear upon the chain or neckyoke connection at the point of connection, as more fully hereinafter specified.

Before proceeding to a minute description of my invention, I desire to state that I am aware that breast-chains have hitherto been used in connection with snap-hooks, and that it is not new to connect the ends of such chains with the harness-hames; but in suchinstances no provision has been made whereby the length of the chains could be adjusted to suit the peculiar conditions of each case arising out of the various sizes of horses and the unequal lengths of the vehicle-poles-an inconvenience of no small moment to those having occasion a to change one team or one horse from one wag on or other vehicle to another, as the exigencies of the case may require. My invention in one particular is specially designed to overcome this standing objection, and this purpose is accomplished by a peculiar arrangement of the breast-chain and snap-hooks. Breaststrapshave also been used and provisions made for changing their length,all involving a number of parts or devices not employed by me.

I am aware that various means have been employed for the purpose of making a connection between the breast-chain and the neckyoke or pole-ring; but in such instances there has not been provided means whereby the chain isprevented from being rapidly worn at about its center, in consequence of its necessary reciprocating travel through a ring or hook on the yoke or pole. My object is also to overcome this serious objection to the common means alluded to, and for this purpose 1 Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my 7 improved breast-chain and its connections; and Fig. 2, a' perspective view of my improved breast-chain, a neck-yoke, and a portion of a vehicle-pole, showing the same connected to a pair of hames.

The letter A indicates two sections of chain, which are connected at their lower ends by means of a link or center-piece, B. The said link or center-piece may be of any suitable form, but is preferably constructed, as in the present instance, with two eyes, one being oblong and the other approximately circular, and formed at right angles to each other, in order to permit the parts to set properly and avoid all tendency to twist the chains.

The letter 0 indicates two snap-hooks, adapted to be attached to the rings at each side of the hames, in any convenient manner, and to the chain-sections above mentioned, either at their ends or intermediate portions, as hereinafter more fully described.

To the link or center-piece B is attached a it will be evident that the breast-chain may be shortened as required by taking up the links successively, as indicated in the drawings, and dropping one or more links of the chain, as shown in dotted lines in the drawings. construction of the central piece or link, it will be observed, will always maintain its position with respect to the chain and the neckyoke connection, so that the connections will not ride or rub upon each other, and thus the necessity of thickening the breast-chain at the point of connection with the neck-yoke will be obviated, and a cheaper, lighter, stronger, and more durable breast-chain will be produced. i i

It is further evident that in some cases I The may dispense with the use of the separate sections of the chain and substitute in lieu thereof a single continuous piece of chain, at about the center of which the snap-hook or other 5 suitable connection, D, may besecured, the center-piece in such case being omitted; or I may make a direct connection between the breastchain and the neck-yoke ring or pole-ring.

Havingdescribed myinvention,what1claim, 10 and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The chain A, combined with snap-hooks c 0, attached to the hame-rings, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of the chain-sections, I5 provided with the connecting-piece B, with the snap-hooks c 0, attached to the hame-rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the chain-sections having the connecting-piece B, the snap-hook D, attached to the connecting-piece and adapt- 20 ed to connect with the neck-yoke, and the snap-hooks (3, adapted to be attached to the hame-rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,in 2 5 presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of May, 1882.

JAMES (J. COVERT.

Witnesses:

H. AUBREY ToULMIN, J. J. MCCARTHY. 

